Ohio State vs. Indiana Recap: Hoosiers Cover +6.5, Sayin Clears 225

Ohio State won a grinder in Bloomington, 19-15, and Indiana still covered. The Buckeyes led 19-7 after Julian Sayin hit Jeremiah Smith for a 38-yard touchdown with 12:46 left, but Josh Hoover answered with a 19-yard score to Nick Marsh and a two-point pass to Turbo Richard to make it 19-15 at 10:30. Indiana's last drive died on downs. Both teams turned it over twice, and Indiana outgained Ohio State 369 to 313. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

ALT: Indiana +6.5 (-188 at FanDuel): CASHED

• Our read: Indiana had not lost by 7 or more in any of its last 10 games, including 6/6 this season, and it was home. Ohio State was down six players, including leading rusher Ja'Kobi Jackson and starting tackle Austin Siereveld, and the main line was only Ohio State -2.5.
• What happened: Indiana lost by 4, so the alt cleared with 2.5 points to spare. The Ohio State run game never got going without its lead back: 78 rushing yards on 37 attempts, with Bo Jackson at 56 yards on 18 carries. Hoover threw for 296 yards, and Charlie Becker caught 9 balls for 165, which kept Indiana close all afternoon.
• Worth watching: Indiana keeps games tight at home, and alt points on the Hoosiers are worth a look when the main number is small. The price matters here; at -188 you need a high cover rate to justify it.

Julian Sayin 225+ passing yards (-220 at FanDuel): CASHED

• Our read: Sayin had cleared 225 in 9 of his last 10 and in all 6 games this year, averaging 270.7 and 311 over his last 3. With Ja'Kobi Jackson out, we expected Ohio State to lean on Sayin and Jeremiah Smith. The FanDuel main line was 257.5.
• What happened: Sayin threw for 235 yards on 15/29 passing with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, finishing 10 yards clear of the 225 mark. Smith was the go-to target with 4 catches for 68 yards and the 38-yard score that put Ohio State up 12. Sayin also hit Bo Jackson for a 2-yard touchdown with 7 seconds left in the first half to take a 10-7 lead.
• Worth watching: This one was closer than the season numbers suggested. Sayin finished below the 257.5 main line on just 29 attempts, so the cushion of the alt did the work. When the run game is thin, his volume is the angle, but the yardage floor depends on how many throws he gets.

How the game played out

Hawkins opened the scoring with a 26-yard field goal, and Indiana took a 7-3 lead on a 7-yard Richard run after an Ohio State interception set up a short field. Ohio State answered with a 15-play, 80-yard drive before the half and added a 29-yard Hawkins field goal in the third quarter. Amare Ferrell picked off Sayin twice for Indiana. Indiana had two field-goal drives come up empty and lost two fumbles in the third quarter. Ohio State held the ball for 32:12.

Trends to watch

• Ohio State ran 37 times for 78 yards. Until its lead back returns, Sayin and Smith carry this offense.
• Jeremiah Smith had 4 catches and a touchdown on a day Sayin threw only 29 passes. He was the clear top target on a low-volume passing day.
• Charlie Becker's 9 catches for 165 yards led everyone on the field. He was Hoover's top read all game.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to alt points? Start with our guide to the alt line and the point spread, or head back to the CFB hub.